Feed system of electric-ignition gasoline-fed automotive heater



1969 E. HENRY-BIABAUD 3,42

FEED SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC-IGNITION GASOLINE-FED AUTOMOTIVE HEATER Filed June a, 1967 United States Patent US. Cl. 431-72 Int. Cl. F23n /00 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE System for feeding fuel to a gasoline-operated heater having electric ignition means characterized in that it comprises a sucking and forcing pump having a variablevolume chamber bounded by a spring-urged movable member such as a flexible diaphragm or a piston operatively connected to an external control member actuatable by the user, this variable-volume chamber communicating on the one hand with the fuel tank through the medium of a non-return valve, and on the other hand with the heater and a switch controlling the electric ignition circuit of the heater, said switch being so connected to the movable member of said pump as to close said circuit and start the operation of the heater at the end of the positive or suction stroke of said movable member actuated by the user, and to open said electric ignition circuit at the end of the reutrn or forcing stroke of said movable member which is caused by a return spring.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a device for feeding fuel to a heater operating on gasoline and having electric ignition means, mainly for automobile use.

One of the chief advantages of a heater of this type which operates on gasoline is that it can be used before starting the vehicle. In this case, two problems arise: firstly, the fuel feed, and secondly, automatically stopping the heater after a predetermined operating time. These operations are performed without requiring any action from the user, except, of course, for starting the heater operation.

These problems can be solved without difiiculty by using conventional means such as an electric pump and a time-lag device for automatically stopping the system. However, these means are relatively costly.

To this end a small reserve of gasoline under pressure with respect to the heater and fed from the engine fuel pump may also be used. This arrangement is described in the US. Patent No. 2,440,447 but is objectionable due to the danger constituted by this reserve of gasoline under the engine hood in case of fire or accident.

Summary of the invention It is the essential object of the present invention to provide a feed system whereby these various inconveniences are definitely avoided.

To this end, the device according to the invention for feeding fuel to a gasoline-operated heater having electric ignition means is characterized in that it comprises a sucking and forcing pump having a variable-volume chamber bounded by a spring-urged movable member such as a flexible diaphragm or a piston operatively connected to an external control member actuatable by the user, this variable-volume chamber communicating on the one hand with the fuel tank through the medium of a non-return valve, and on the other hand with the heater and a switch controlling the electric ignition circuit of the heater, said 3,423,159 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 "ice switch being so connected to the movable member of said pump as to close said circuit and start the operation of the heater at the end of the positive or suction stroke of said movable member actuated by the user, and to open said electric ignition circuit at the end of the return or forcing stroke of said movable member which is caused by a return spring.

The device according to this invention is advantageous in that it is economical to manufacture and completely reliable. In fact, the variable-volume chamber of the pump constitutes a fuel reserve which is filled only when the heater is about to be started, the heater being subsequently stopped when this reserve is exhausted. Thus, the hazardous permanent storage of fuel in said reserve is definitely avoided.

Brief description of the drawings Description of the preferred embodiment In the drawing a gasoline tank 1 is adapted to supply fuel to an internal combustion engine 4 by means of a carburetor 3 fed by a pump 2. The gasoline-fed electricignition heater is designated in block form at 5, and may be for example of the type described and illustrated in the French Patent No. 1,409,337 filed on July 7, 1964.

The feed system according to this invention comprises a sucking and forcing pump 6 having a cylinder 7 in which a piston 8 is constantly urged by a coil compression return spring 9. Between this piston 8 and the bottom of cylinder 7, a chamber 11 is formed which is connected to the fuel tank 1 through a pipe line 12 having a nonreturn valve 13 inserted therein. This chamber 11 also communicates through another pipe line 14 with the carburetor controlling the metered supply of fuel to the heater 5.

The piston 8 of pump 6 has a rod 15 emerging from the cylinder 7 and according to the specific form of embodiment illustrated in the drawing this rod is adapted to be actuated by means of a pull-knob 16.

The heater proper 5 comprises an electric ignition device for example of the type described and illustrated in the above-mentioned French patent, which is not shown in detail in the attached drawing. This device is connected to a source of current 17 through an electric circuit 18 having a switch 19 inserted therein. In the exemplary form of embodiment illustrated in the drawing the control member 21 of switch 19 projects into a longitudinal notch 22 formed in the piston rod 15 so that the end shoulder 22a and 22b of this notch may actuate the switch 19.

The various components elements of the system are shown in their inoperative position in the drawing, that is, when the heater 5 is not operated. In this case the switch 19 is open and disconnects the electric ignition device of heater 5 from the source of current. Thus, piston 8 is normally urged by its return spring 9 so that the volume of chamber 11 is practically zero.

To start the heating system the user simply pulls the knob 16 so as to move it to the left as seen in the drawing. The resulting movement of piston 8 in cylinder 7 causes fuel to be sucked from the tank 1 through pipe line 12 and non-return valve 13 into chamber 11, thus filling the latter with gasoline.

At the end of the movement of knob 16 and piston 15 to the left, as seen in the drawing, the notch shoulder 22b nearest to piston 8 actuates the control member 21 of switch 19, thus closing the circuit. Under these conditions,

the electric ignition device of heater 5 is energized and the heater is in its operative condition.

When the user releases the knob 16, piston 8 is moved slowly to the right, as seen in the figure, by its return spring 9. Thus, the fuel contained in chamber 11 is forced through pipe line 14 into the carburetor supplying the heater 5.

At the end of the return stroke of piston 8 to the right, the opposite shoulder 22a of notch 22 actuates in turn the switch control member 21 to open switch 19 and therefore the energizing circuit 18 of the ignition device. The heater 5 is thus restored to its inoperative condition.

The piston 8 may be actuated either directly or by means of a pull-knob 16, as shown in the drawing. Alternately, the rotation of a lever or knob may be used to this end. Similarly, a flexible, accordion-like diaphragm or bellows may be substituted for the piston 8 to improve the fluid tightness.

The pull-knob, lever or like member controlling the movement of piston 8 or of a diaphragm may be set in different positions corresponding to different volumes of chamber 11 and therefore to different operating time periods of the heater 5.

On the other hand, the piston 8 may be remote-controlled through any suitable means, for example by means of a sliding-core electromagnet of which the energizing current may be adjusted as a function of the desired operating time period of the heater 5.

Of course, the specific form of embodiment described hereinabove and illustrated in the attached drawing should not be construed as limiting the invention since many modifications may be brought thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A system operating on gasoline and having electric ignition means, comprising a heater, a gasoline tank, a suction and forcing pump having a variable-volume chamber, a movable member bounding said variable-volume chamber, a return spring associated with said movable member, an external control member coupled with said movable member and adapted to be actuated by the user,

a first pipe line connecting said gasoline tank to said variable-volume chamber of said pump, a non-return valve inserted in said first pipe line, another pipe line connecting said variable-volume chamber of said pump to the heater, and a switch for controlling the electric ignition circuit of said heater, said switch being so disposed as to be actuatable by said movable member of said pump to close the electric ignition circuit of said heater at the end of the positive and suction stroke of said movable member and to open said circuit at the end of the return or forcing stroke of said movable member then responsive to said return spring.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said movable member of said pump comprises a piston rod fixed to said movable member, and said control member comprises handle means on said piston rod, said piston rod being movable lengthwise and having two spaced abutments thereon, and in which said switch comprises an actuating lever positioned for engagement by one of said abutments to close the switch and for engagement by the other of said abutments to open said switch.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which a third pipe line branches off of said first pipe line to supply gasoline to an engine and in which a fuel pump is provided in said third pipe line, said non-return valve being disposed between said variable volume chamber and said branching of said third pipe line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS (Addition to No. 687,675)

JAMES W. WESTHAVER', Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 43187, 254 

